The Chaos Gates: Call of the Mountain
by SilverChaos347
Summary: Everyone loves a good duel, especially if it takes place in the Shadow Realm, where the monsters are real and the magic is dangerous. But did you ever wonder what it's like for the monsters?
1. Prologue

~I know it's been a while, but I'm finally ready to start another Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic. Please tell me what you think!~  
  
(Disclaimer: This story is based on the world of Yu-Gi-Oh, originally created by Kazuki Takahashi in 1996. I'm sure you all know that I don't own anything except my own characters, so I'll leave it at that.)  
  
The Chaos Gates:  
  
Call of the Mountain  
  
Prologue:  
  
Yami Bakura shrieked in outrage as he was sucked up into the swirling chaos. ((How dare he! I am the master of this realm!)) He struggled to break free from the suffocating mist surrounding him. ((It's not fair!))  
  
Suddenly, he heard a loud thud. He blinked and realized with a shock that he was lying face-down on the ground. He groaned softly, still muttering about his defeat. In anguish, he pounded a fist on the ground, screaming, "The Millennium Puzzle was almost mine!"  
  
Just then, he heard a noise behind him. It sounded like leaves rustling in the wind, but he knew there were no trees in this place. His temper rising, he clenched his fist; whatever was behind him would be a good vent for his frustrations.  
  
But as he spun around to face it, his mind went blank and he screamed in terror. The monster floating behind him had no face, and carried a gigantic scythe - it was the Reaper of the Cards!  
  
Momentarily caught off guard, he backed up, bumping into a tombstone bearing his name. He dove behind it, just avoiding the creature's evil blade. As the monster moved closer, he struggled to think of a way out. He felt the ground around him, and his hand bumped into his deck. He grinned in satisfaction.  
  
"You may have surprised me before, but now it's your turn, demon! I summon the Dark King of the Abyss! His special powers will demolish you, you pathetic excuse for an evil monster!"  
  
The skeletal figure appeared beside him, and without warning, a red beam shot out from the monster's forehead. The Reaper cried out in shock and pain as its body disintegrated. Yami Bakura laughed triumphantly, reveling in the sound of its tortured screams. He'd really missed this during his time in the physical world.  
  
A sniffling sound behind him broke him out of his reverie. The red-eyed skeleton was curled into a ball, crying softly. "What's the matter with you?" Bakura sneered, disgusted that one of his favorite monsters should put on such a horrible display.  
  
"M-my friend...Adam...the Reaper...we w-were b-best friends...and y-you made me...I k-killed him...he's really dead...." The monster wiped away his tears and stared angrily into Yami Bakura's cold eyes. "H-he was only trying to scare you...and you killed him....What kind of evil monster are you?!"  
  
Bakura stared at him silently for a moment. Then he sighed, muttering, "Wretched creature. You don't deserve to be called a fiend." He bared his teeth. "Yes, I killed him. And I enjoyed it. If you don't like it, too bad. Just get out of my sight, you pathetic excuse for a duel monster."  
  
The skeleton blinked, but did not move. Now even more aggravated, Bakura narrowed his eyes and the Millennium Ring began to glow brightly. The Dark King of the Abyss gasped, his eyes fixed on the golden item, and after a few seconds, scrambled away as fast as he could.  
  
Bakura spat on the ground where the monster had been sitting, and then turned to look at his surroundings. He was standing in the middle of a graveyard, surrounded by the mist that permeated the Shadow Realm. ((I doubt I can use my magic to escape this place, not while I am in its heart.)) But he decided to try anyway, and focused his energy into the center of Anubis' Eye. It brightened for a moment, but faded quickly.  
  
He sighed. ((It could take weeks to get out of here,)) he thought glumly. He looked around at the thick fog that covered the lonely graveyard. (( I guess I should be glad that I'm back after all these decades, but for some reason all I can think about is Yugi...and that 'guardian' spirit of his....))  
  
He took a deep breath to calm himself and picked up the Ring again, trying to sense the direction he needed to go. The Ring lit up and pointed left, and he began to walk in that direction. But as he took another breath, he noticed something he hadn't detected before. "That's odd - the air here feels...lighter, somehow. It's almost as if the clouds could part at any second."  
  
He thought about it for a moment, then scoffed. ((That's crazy...this place never changes. That's one of my favorite things about coming here. And besides, what am I doing pondering such things? My incompetent host must be corrupting me....))  
  
He groaned at the thought and quickened his pace, but stopped in astonishment as the mist thinned. ((What?! That's not supposed to happen!)) Puzzled, he looked around. ((What on earth has happened to this place?)) There was a small village about a mile ahead of him, and a gigantic mountain range on his right. There were also two young girls playing in a lake on the edge of a large forest.  
  
Bakura blinked, surprised, as a tiny snakelike creature leapt out of the water beside them, fleeing into the forest. "A Petit Dragon? Swimming with children?" he muttered in disbelief. "Where in the world am I?"  
  
He turned his head in every direction, now noticing that there were duel monsters and people interacting with each other all over the place. A group of teenagers zoomed around the hills while Dancing Fairies gathered fruit in the forest. A Cyber Falcon suddenly swooped over Bakura's head, cackling excitedly as it chased a Tyhone around in circles.  
  
"Unbelievable," Bakura whispered. "A world where monsters and humans live in peace...it must be an undiscovered area in the Shadow Realm. This place may be worth exploring after all." He chuckled malevolently and stepped forward into the innocent realm, gleefully picturing all the wicked things he could do in an unspoiled civilization like this one.... 


	2. Chapter One

~Now the REAL story is starting. You'll see Bakura again later, but now it's time to introduce the main character. I hope you like it!~  
  
Chapter One:  
  
Melody yawned and stretched as the Skull Red Bird's crowing welcomed the dawn. She hopped out of bed and ran into the kitchen, grabbing a sandwich as she headed outside to start her daily chores.  
  
She took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh morning air. Then she grabbed the bucket of earthworms she'd dug up the night before and poured them into the Peacock's and Tyhone's feeding dishes. As the animals came out to eat their breakfast, she collected the eggs and set the basket by the barn door to be retrieved later.  
  
After watching them eat for a few minutes, and finishing her own breakfast, she grabbed another basket and headed down the path to the fairy forest. The tiny Dancing Fairies were fluttering between the orchid trees, spreading their magic on every blossom. Melody picked out the best, placing each one in the basket very carefully so as not to spill any. They needed to be in perfect condition so the town doctors could make the finest medicines available.  
  
After taking a break and watching the fairies do their work, she checked her watch and realized that it was nearly eleven o'clock. She hurried back to the farm and raced inside just as her mother took a pan out of the oven. "Hey, Mom, what's for dinner?"  
  
"Firegrass steak, freshly imported from Terrez," she replied, setting the sizzling dish on the table. "I hope you're hungry!"  
  
Melody licked her lips, quickly washed her hands, and sat down. "I sure am!" she said eagerly.  
  
The door swung open again, and her father staggered in. "Hey there, Mels," he grunted, peeling off his work robes and removing himself to the bathroom to clean up. After a few minutes he returned and joined Melody at the table.  
  
"So, Mels, how are you today? Ready for the weekend?" he asked, passing the plates around. "I bet you can't wait for the ceremony…I know I couldn't when I was your age."  
  
She bit her lip, then answered. "Yeah, I'm excited…I'm just a little scared."  
  
"Well, that's understandable. I was nervous too. But everything will be just fine, you'll see." He grinned and patted her on the head.  
  
Melody cringed, embarrassed by his usual display of affection. "Dad! You know I hate it when you do that. And anyway, you weren't nine years old at your ceremony. What will happen if I don't get chosen? Everyone will make fun of me…"  
  
Her father sighed and pulled back his hand. "Honey, don't worry. I'm sure you'll do fine."  
  
"Yes, you will," her mother said firmly, positioning the food carefully in the center of the table. "You've never let us down before; I highly doubt you will now."  
  
Melody sighed, unconvinced. She took a bite of the steak, and thought about it for the rest of the meal, tuning out her parents' voices completely.   
  
She was startled out of her reverie by a deep bass voice from outside. "Hey, anyone home?" it called, and Melody recognized it as belonging to her Grandpa Elix. She wolfed down the rest of her food and ran outside to meet him.  
  
"Well! If it isn't my favorite descendant!" he cried, wrapping her in a huge bear hug. "How've you been?"  
  
"I'm fine. Why did you come? Are you here for my ceremony?"  
  
"Oh, didn't your mother tell you?" He glanced over her shoulder at her parents and winked. "When I heard you were graduating a year early, I just had to come. I hear it's going to be very exciting!"  
  
Melody giggled. "It will be, with you here! I just hope I get chosen…"  
  
"Of course you will! You're the best fighter in your entire class. Nothing will keep you from getting the best partner in all of Ventusi!"  
  
With a twinkle in his eye, he grabbed her and spun her in a circle, and then began to tango. Melody giggled again and tried to copy his moves, falling down in the process. Then Grandpa Elix fell on top of her, pinning her to the ground.  
  
Sensing a challenge, Melody grinned and twisted out from under him with a special move she'd only recently mastered. He tried to grab her again, but she leapt away easily and he fell flat on his face. A second later, Melody had him in a headlock and he was crying, "Uncle!"  
  
Watching from the sidelines, Melody's father beamed with pride. Her mother came outside to see what was going on, and snorted as she saw her own father lying helpless in the dirt. Sighing with amusement, she went to help him up.  
  
"Dad, I don't know why you pick fights with her," she said. "Melody always beats you. Don't you find it humiliating?"  
  
"Well, yes, but you can't blame a grandpa for trying." He turned to Melody, defiance in his eyes. "One of these days-"  
  
He broke off when he saw the look in Melody's eye, chuckled, and went inside.  
  
~Please reply...before I cry...oh, forget it, I stink at poems. Just tell me what you think! I need feedback to continue!~ 


	3. Chapter Two

~I am so sorry it took me so long to reply...but I suppose you're used to it by now. I wish I could change my reputation, and post these stories quicker...but I always seem to have more important things to do. *sigh*~  
  
Chapter Two:  
  
Melody paced back and forth, restless. The adults were talking in the other room, but she had no interest in what they were saying. All she could think about was her Joining ceremony tomorrow. Contrary to what she had told her grandfather, she was still worried.  
  
((What will happen if I don't get chosen? If I fail tomorrow, during the ceremony, Mom and Dad will be so disappointed...and they always wanted the best for me. What if....))  
  
The sound of her father's voice echoed, interrupting Melody's thoughts. "So how are things in town, Elix? Anything interesting happen at work in the last few days?"  
  
"Oh, you know, the usual. Kids with broken arms, babies with skin rash, and worried mothers certain that their children are coming down with the latest epidemic. Yesterday there was even one mother convinced that her son had malaria. How often do you hear about that these days?"  
  
Shaking his head and laughing, he went on. "Since she was so insistent, I went ahead and tested him. The poor kid didn't seem to have any symptoms, but he kept moaning about a Dark monster running through town like a Sonic Duck. He said the creature was ranting about the Millennium Items and an evil spirit with white hair."  
  
"The things kids come up with...white-haired spirits...Millennium Items...riiight. Everyone knows that's an old wives' tale."  
  
"I told her the kid must've hit his head or something. I mean, what would a beast from Noctele be doing here, of all places?"  
  
"Yeah," Melody's father agreed, his laughter fading as Melody headed outside.  
  
The afternoon breeze whipped her hair around her face, framing her deep brown eyes. She stared out across the plains, wishing that her mind was as clear as the skies, like it had been before she had learned that she would be graduating with the upper class.  
  
Suddenly she blinked. She squinted her eyes, unsure of what she was seeing. Far away, near the Djinnti mountain, there was a lone figure hiking up the ravine toward the sacred temple. His long white hair rippled like a flag in the wind as he made his way up the treacherous path. He seemed…unusual, somehow, but Melody couldn't figure out why. She watched him enter the temple, wondering why anyone would want to go there, when she heard a voice behind her calling her name.  
  
She turned around, laughing, as she saw a short, black-haired girl running toward her. "Ayamia!" she cried, embracing her best friend.  
  
Ayamia grinned, returning the gesture. "What are you doing out here, all by yourself, Melody?" she asked, gesturing around her. "It's such a nice day...you should be enjoying it. Come on, let's go play in the dragon pond!"  
  
Melody agreed, grateful for her friend's timely arrival. She ran across the plains, forgetting all about tomorrow. Her long red hair flowed freely in the wind, the golden sunshine creating a rainbow that trailed behind her.  
  
They arrived at the cave entrance in no time at all. As they entered the tunnel that led to the hidden lake, they moved as silently as they could. But as they rounded the first bend and saw the lights dancing on the walls, they froze.   
  
"Umm...what's going on?" Ayamia whispered, her eyes wide.  
  
"I have no idea," Melody answered, keeping her voice low as well. Taking soft, shallow breaths, she moved forward even slower than before. Ayamia followed closely behind her.  
  
When they had gotten as close as they dared, they hid themselves behind the rocks. To their surprise, there were Fairy Dragons hovering over the tranquil water, dancing gracefully with the Petit Dragons that frequently played here.  
  
"Wow," Ayamia breathed. "Aren't they beautiful?"  
  
"Yeah," Melody agreed. She stared at the weaving dragons, transfixed by the magic dust that trailed behind them, reflecting the light that came in from outside throughout the cavern. Their movements created a solid mass which twisted and flowed like a river, unpredictable and filled with the glory of dragonkind.  
  
The two girls stared at the breathtaking display, oblivious to anything else. As a result, they were completely unprepared for the high-pitched squeak that echoed loudly in the partially enclosed space.  
  
The girls jumped, shocked, and gasped as they saw something bright green darting towards them. As Ayamia watched in horror, the figure wrapped itself tightly around Melody's neck, squealing wildly.  
  
~I'll start the next chapter as soon as I can....~ 


	4. Chapter Three

~ I'm sorry it took so long...but here's some more. Please read it! ~  
  
Chapter Three:  
  
She couldn't even scream.  
  
Melody clawed at her neck, trying to free herself, but the snakelike thing was firmly attached. It squealed as it realized what she was trying to do, and tightened its grip even more.  
  
Terrified, Ayamia shrieked, "Get away from her!" She grabbed a rock and tried to hit it on the head. But the creature bit her hand and the rock flew free, hitting Melody on the cheek.  
  
"Ow!" she cried, and gasped as she realized that she could talk. The tiny beast had loosened its grip and was now licking the wound.  
  
Ayamia stared, all anger gone as she saw this act of sympathy. "Is that a…Petit Dragon?" Her eyes glittered in delight as she thought of all the people who'd give up their magic for this chance. "I've heard so much about them…but I never thought I'd ever actually see one!"  
  
Melody said nothing, but she was as awed by the proximity of such a rare creature as Ayamia was. She reached down to pet it, and was even more surprised when she found its skin to be as soft as silk.  
  
The two girls continued to stare at the tiny dragon, lost in the wonder of the moment, when suddenly a brilliant light flashed in the distance. They peered through a hole in the cave wall, but saw nothing more than a couple of kids riding on windboards, their silhouettes briefly passing over the setting sun.  
  
((The setting sun?)) "Oh no!" Melody cried. "I was supposed to be home over an hour ago!"  
  
"Yeah, I should probably get going too," Ayamia replied. She turned around. "Hey, where'd that little dragon go?"  
  
Melody glanced around, but saw no sign of him. In fact, there was no sign of any life in the cave at all, save for themselves. "Maybe he had to go home for supper too," she joked.  
  
Ayamia giggled, then said, "Well, we'd better hurry if we want to make it back before dark. Even my parents would get mad if I was out that late!"  
  
"Yeah, no kidding." Melody winced, imagining their wrath. Ayamia's parents were usually nice, but they could be pretty scary if they got mad. "Well, see you later."  
  
She raced out of the cavern, making it home just as the sun dipped beneath the horizon. The air was already beginning to get chilly, so she made her way across the yard as quickly as she could.  
  
But just as she reached for the doorknob, she heard loud voices coming from inside the house. "Arithe, I know you don't want to think about it, but you're going to have to! We need to be prepared in case she doesn't make it!"  
  
Melody blinked, and leaned against the wall. She didn't want to walk in when her mom was yelling like this. She'd been on the receiving end of that temper far too many times as it was.  
  
"Come on, Sheloi! You're the one who needs to wake up and smell the orchids! Of course Melody will make it! She is my daughter, after all!"  
  
"But she's my daughter too! I didn't get a Bacchii for a partner, and that didn't stop you from marrying me!!"  
  
"Oh? Well, sometimes I wonder why I did!!"  
  
Melody shivered, but not from the cold. She'd heard her parents fight before, but this time they were arguing about her. It made her feel horrible inside, like the sinking feeling you get in your stomach when you realize you've broken your grandmother's favorite vase.  
  
"They don't mean it."  
  
Melody glanced up, and found her grandpa smiling down at her. "People say the strangest things when they get upset. Don't worry, both of them love you, and will support you one hundred percent no matter what happens tomorrow."  
  
"Thanks, Grandpa." Melody gave him a quick hug, comforted by his kind words.  
  
"Glad to be of help." He glanced around, gazing up into the night sky. The wind gently ruffled the leaves, breaking the silence. "It's getting cold…we should probably go inside."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
As they walked in, Melody's parents were standing on opposite sides of the room, glaring at one another. They stepped forward, trying to act like nothing was wrong, but Melody didn't miss the fleeting looks of rage they shot at one another.  
  
She quietly excused herself and headed up to her room. Why were her parents always like this? They'd always cheer her on, supporting her without a doubt…until the night before, and then they'd argue continually. ((I suppose it's their way of showing they care,)) Melody told herself. But she couldn't even convince herself, not after tonight.  
  
As she entered her room and shut the door, she found herself staring at the picture of Lila the Harpie Lady on her wall. The heroine's courageous image had often helped Melody feel better when she was stressed, and she appealed to the warrior's sympathies again tonight. "Please, Lady Lila, help me to satisfy both of my parents in the Ceremony tomorrow. I only want to make them happy..."  
  
As she drifted off to sleep, she could have sworn she saw the portrait smile and wink at her...  
  
~ I hope people are still reading this...why does it seem like no one ever reads my stories? I see people who have dozens of readers...but no one seems to like me...even though I get good reviews...:( ~ 


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